Cross-border shopping: Is it really worth it?

Well I was hanging in there until they mentioned pricing Britney Spears CD. then the story lost all credibility...

It's always the worst case example they give for their story. Was it worth it? Well it was for the guy who went down and spent 8 thousand less on his vehicle because he bought it in the U.S.

Is it worth it? Heck ya'. Besides, the writer goes to Walden Galleria looking for deals and drives right by an Outlet mall with Polo, Oakley, J. Crew, Adidas and other brand names. Brilliant. In fact, most know that electronics (for the most part) are almost at par and the savings are negligible, but clothes aren't even close nor are automobiles.

Secondly, it depends on where you live. If the border is only 30 minutes and you don't have to brave the QEW around Oakville, than the trip just became a bit more palatable. In fact, a lot of shopping is just accorss the Niagara Falls border, so if you know where you're going, you can find even better deals in a smaller amount of time.

It depends what you are buying. I bought some clothes on-line from the United States and saved probably $200 doing so. That is with the shipping, taxes, and whatever else it took it to get them to my door. My friend goes to the United States every weekend to fill up on fuel and it is worth it for him to drive from outside of Vancouver across to Blaine to do so. Plus he usually might stop in Bellingham and buy a few items at the mall. For me to drive from Edmonton just to go shopping probably would not be worth it though but buying things on the internet from U.S. retailers is. But if you are on a holiday or are visiting friends or family you might as well think in advance of a few purchases you wish to make and do it there in the USA.

I'm just ordering some camera gear from the on-line US retailer, BH photo, to go to my in-laws in the US which I'll pick up in Feb.

It's cost $1700 including delivery and taxes. The same items (all made in Japan and Germany) cost $2556 with taxes, not including shipping from Henry's.

The Crown rests. The yanks get my cash. I save 800 bucks.

It's only worth it as long as the products are made in neither Canada nor the United States. And that just opens up a whole other can of worms about supporting local economy.

Why would purchasing Japanese products hurt the "local" economy? Isn't dependent on what the local economy is, and more importantly, why should I, the consumer, be faced financial disadvantages in the face of faux nationalism?

The Japanese camera you buy in an American city does not support the guy down the street who owns a camera shop. By only considering your own disadvantages in the short term, you are disadvantaging others in your community and creating further disadvantage for the long term.

Canadians are at last waking up to the fact that we have been screwed for years on prices for things bought in this Country... I have shopped in the US but not in the border towns.. most of those are too expensive... the farther you go the better the deals.. I shop alot in Pennsylvania.. notonly are the prices good.. there is true competiveness and the retailers know how to treat the customer.. great service.. which is lacking in Canada

What a load of garbage. The Japanese camera I buy from the guy down the street might be marked up for profit, so HE benefits (and still continues to pay HIS employees minimum wage) and I still come out finicially dinged. In fact, the profits are still going back to the Japanese company in Japan, not Canada or the United States, so what difference does it make? I save some money, that maybe i use at the local proprietar's overpriced shop at a later date.

Same goes for cars. Can you buy Canadian? Nope. Why not purchase a Rav4, Civic or Suzuki XL7 as they're made in Ontario and they do provide decent jobs for Canadians.




OR i'm forcing them to lower their profit margins to stay competitive. I have hard time believing that you check the label of every piece of clothing you own or shoes you buy in order to maximize your faux patriotism AND would financially hinder yourself in their process. Sorry, don't buy it (pardon the pun)

What a load of garbage. The Japanese camera I buy from the guy down the street might be marked up for profit, so HE benefits (and still continues to pay HIS employees minimum wage) and I still come out finicially dinged.

Of course he benefits, did you think he was in business to not make money? I'd rather let the camera shop guy make some extra profit than give my money to some box store in another country, whose owners barely even care about the community their business resides in.



This is totally contradictory of the first paragraph. Who benefits, the camera company, or the guy who owns the shop? The answer is actually both, but while you give your money to the guy down the street, he can give the money he made from you to other local businesses, thus supporting the local economy.



But that's not the argument you're making. In fact, you've just agreed with me.



OR i'm forcing them to lower their profit margins to stay competitive. I have hard time believing that you check the label of every piece of clothing you own or shoes you buy in order to maximize your faux patriotism AND would financially hinder yourself in their process. Sorry, don't buy it (pardon the pun)

Well, you don't have to believe it, but I do check labels on everything and buy accordingly. If I can't buy a locally made product, I'd at least rather support a local business.

As for faux patriotism, check your cynicism at the door and go project on someone else, it's rather unbecoming of someone who thinks so highly of themself.

But why should I let him gouge me? Why should I be the patsy for his greed? And why is this guy any more civic minded for nailing me for his profit?



It’s not contradictory at all, but thanks for trying. My point was and still is, I’m not solely supporting the private business owner, but also and mostly giving money to the parent company. If my local shop charges outrageous prices, I’m not about to support his profit margin AND the foreign company that also profits. You prattle on about patriotism but you'll throw your money at foreign companies? Now who's being contradictory?

And you’re assuming that the local business is going to support the local company. This is based on what? I know, as an individual, what my spending habits are, but you’re naïve to assume that the guy that gouges his customers is somehow now going to reverse that trend and be, what, economically altruistic (despite the fact that he’s screwing his customers on price point?)? Please.



Huh? Keep up, here. I suggested that no one realistically makes the kind of quasi-patriotic nonsensical decision on big-ticket purchases like cars. They shop (unless it’s for a prestige vehicle) for the most reliable, engineered, safest, affordable vehicle in their desired market segment. You think they worry about where the car was made or the impact on the local economy? If that were the case, consumers would only buy, Toyota, Suzuki, Honda/Acura, Ford and GM. Screw cheaper brands –at the expense of shopper’s wallets- because that would hurt the local economy? Gimmie a break.


That’s absolute hogwash. What shoes do you buy? Where do you buy them? How about the car? Or T.V.? And already you’re making concessions because if you can’t buy locally made products (which in a globalized economy is pretty difficult) you’re shopping at local businesses, which may be foreign-owned, union-free and buy from sweatshops. Sorry, but you’re argument sounds more like the prattle of the idealistic, uniformed junior consumer trying desperately to project the en vogue 21st century ethos.


Sorry, my uniformed chum, that’s not cynicism, it’s called pragmatism and leave your naïve, idealistic, faux patriotic garbage at the door at it’s starting to stink

I purchase all my books from Amazon.ca I bought Ken Follett's "World Without End" when it first came out for $23.00 through Amazon when Chapters/Indigo/Coles all wanted $43. As a bonus, if you purchase two or three items, you get free shipping. Why would I ever contemplate buying another book from here?